Senior Pets

Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever before. However with this increased lifespan comes an increase in the types of ailments that can afflict senior pets. As pets reach the golden years, there are a variety of conditions and diseases that they can face, including weight and mobility changes; osteoarthritis; kidney, heart, and liver disease; tumors and cancers; hormone disorders such as diabetes and thyroid imbalance; and many others. Just as the health care needs of humans change as we age, the same applies to pets. It’s critical for pet owners to work closely with our veterinarians to devise a health plan that is best for their senior pet.

When Does “Senior” Start?

So when is a pet considered a senior? Generally, smaller breeds of dogs live longer than larger breeds, and cats live longer than dogs. Beyond that, the life span will vary with each individual, and your veterinarian will be able to help you determine what stage of life your furry friend is in. Keep in mind that some small dog breeds may be considered senior at 10-13 years, while giant breeds are classified as seniors at ages as young as five.

Senior Health Exams

Scheduling regular veterinary examinations is one of the most important steps pet owners can take to keep their pets in tip-top shape. When dogs and cats enter the senior years, these health examinations are more important than ever. Senior care, which starts with the regular veterinary exam, is needed to catch and delay the onset or progress of disease and for the early detection of problems such as organ failure and osteoarthritis. Roscoe Village Animal Hospital recommends that healthy senior dogs and cats are seen every six months for a complete exam and laboratory testing. Keep in mind that every year for a dog or cat is equivalent to 5–7 human years. In order stay current with your senior pet’s health care, twice-a-year exams are a must. During the senior health exam, our veterinarians will ask you a series of questions regarding any changes in your pet’s activity and behavior.

Our veterinarians will also conduct a complete examination of all of your pet’s body systems. Client education and laboratory testing are also key components of the senior exam.

Laboratory Testing

Veterinarians depend on laboratory results to help them understand the status of your pet’s health. When your pet is healthy, laboratory tests provide a means to determine your pet’s “baseline” values. When your pet is sick, the veterinarian can more easily determine whether or not your pet’s lab values are abnormal by comparing the baseline values to the current values. Subtle changes in these laboratory test results, even in the outwardly healthy animal, may signal the presence of an underlying disease.Roscoe Village Animal Hospital recommends that senior dogs and cats undergo laboratory tests at least annually.

Complete Blood Count This common test measures the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets in a given sample of blood. The numbers and types of these cells give the veterinarian information needed to help diagnose anemia, infections and leukemia. A complete blood count also helps our veterinarians monitor your pet’s response to some treatments.

• Urinalysis Laboratory analysis of urine is a tool used to detect the presence of one or more specific substances that normally do not appear in urine, such as protein, sugar, white blood cells or blood. A measurement of the dilution or concentration of urine is also helpful in diagnosing diseases. Urinalysis can assist our veterinarians in the diagnosis of urinary-tract infections, diabetes, dehydration, kidney problems and many other conditions.
• Blood-Chemistry Panel Blood-chemistry panels measure electrolytes, enzymes and chemical elements such as calcium and phosphorous. This information helps our veterinarians determine how various organs, such as the kidneys, pancreas, and liver, are currently functioning. The results of these tests help our veterinarians formulate an accurate diagnosis, prescribe proper therapy, and monitor the response to treatment. Further testing may be recommended based on the results of these tests.
• Parasite Evaluation Microscopic examination of your pet’s feces can provide information about many different kinds of diseases, such as difficulties with digestion, internal bleeding, and disorders of the pancreas. Most importantly, though, this test confirms the presence of intestinal parasites, such as roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm and giardia.

For cats, an additional routine blood test is recommended in order to check for hyperthyroidism, a common ailment in senior cats. Additionally, depending on your individual pet’s condition and other factors, other tests and assessments might be recommended. These include blood pressure evaluation; urine protein evaluation; cultures; imaging such as x-rays, ultrasound, and echocardiography; electrocardiography, and special ophthalmic evaluations, among others. Additional tests become especially important in evaluating senior pets that show signs of sickness or are being prepared for anesthesia and surgery.

The Effects of Age

Sensory Changes With the senior years comes a general “slowing down” in pets. As their major senses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell) dull, you may find that your pet has a slower response to general external stimuli. This loss of sensory perception often is a slow, progressive process, and it may even escape your notice. The best remedy for gradual sensory reduction is to keep your pet active—playing and training are excellent ways to keep their senses sharp. Pets may also be affected mentally as they age. Just as aging humans begin to forget things and are more susceptible to mental conditions, your aging animals may also begin to confront age-related cognitive and behavior changes. Most of these changes are rather subtle and can be addressed in a proactive manner. Regular senior health exams can help catch and treat these problems before they control your pet’s life.

Physical Changes

The physical changes your pets experience are generally easier to spot than the sensory changes. As the body wears out, its ability to respond to infection is reduced, and the healing process takes longer. Therefore, it is crucial to consult our veterinarians if you notice a significant change in behavior or the physical condition of your pet. Many of the signs indicating that animals are approaching senior citizenship are the same for both cats and dogs, but they can indicate a variety of different problems (see Signs of a Problem, below). A very common and frustrating problem for aging pets is inappropriate elimination. The kidneys are one of the most common organ systems to wear out on a cat or dog, and as hormone imbalance affects the function of the kidneys, your once well-behaved pet may have trouble controlling his bathroom habits. If you are away all day, he may simply not be able to hold it any longer, or urine may dribble out while he sleeps at night. In addition, excessive urination or incontinence may be indicative of diabetes or kidney failure, both of which are treatable if caught early enough.

Exercise

Exercise is yet another aspect of preventive geriatric care for your pets. You should definitely keep them going as they get older—if they are cooped up or kept lying down, their bodies will deteriorate much more quickly. You may want to ease up a bit on the exercise with an arthritic or debilitated cat or dog. Otherwise, you should keep them as active—mentally and physically—as possible in order to keep them sharp.

Signs of a Problem:

• Sustained, significant increase in water consumption or urination
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Significant decrease in appetite or failure to eat for more than two days
• Significant increase in appetite
• Repeated vomiting
• Diarrhea lasting over three days
• Difficulty in passing stool or urine
• Change in housebreaking
• Lameness lasting more than five days or lameness in more than one leg
• Noticeable decrease in vision
• Open sores or scabs on the skin that persist for more than one week
• Foul mouth odor or drooling that lasts more than two days
• Increasing size of the abdomen
• Increasing inactivity or amount of time spent sleeping
• Hair loss, especially if accompanied by scratching or if in specific areas (as opposed to generalized)
• Excessive panting
• Inability to chew dry food
• Blood in stool or urine
• Sudden collapse or bout of weakness
• A seizure (convulsion)
• Persistent coughing or gagging
• Breathing heavily or rapidly at rest

 

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The veterinarians at Roscoe Village Animal Hospital are dedicated to the highest quality of life for your senior pet. This is achieved through senior wellness examination that consists of disease and parasite prevention, early diagnosis of age-related problems, and rigorous treatment options designed specifically for your pet’s needs.

Many health conditions in an aging pet exhibit few symptoms until they are quite severe, so the professional standard of care for senior pets (those pets 7 years and older) is a wellness exam every 6 months, with blood work and testing annually.

The twice-a-year exam includes a complete physical, examination searching for signs of disease or deterioration. We assess your pet’s physical, nutritional, and behavioral condition to identify early markers of age-related issues and begin addressing them before they become major problems.

Annual diagnostic and laboratory tests for senior pets may include the following:

• Complete Blood Chemistry Panel and Blood Count (CBC)
• Urinalysis
• Thyroid Testing
• Blood Pressure Measurements
• Electrolyte Check
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)
• Radiographs

During each exam, we discuss the best nutritional and exercise plan for your pet based on age, health, lifestyle, and other considerations. Weight may need to be addressed, as some pets put on extra pounds with age and joint problems such as arthritis can occur.

Pain management is a top priority in senior pets, whether the issue is one of age-related illness or a chronic progressive condition. Our veterinarians are dedicated to quality of life for all pets and “a life without pain for every companion animal” is our goal.

Our senior wellness program is designed to help your mature pet stay healthy, vigorous, and comfortable in the aging process for as long as possible.